Trade Subcommittee Chairman Says He Doesn't Want to Advance New NAFTA as Written

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the new chairman of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, told fair trade and health activists in Oregon that he's not comfortable advancing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement the way it's written now. Blumenauer, D-Ore., held a town hall March 21, which was attended by members of Oregon Fair Trade Campaign, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, health care unions and other liberal groups, according to a blog post by the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign.

The groups zeroed in on the biologics provision, which has been one of the top complaints of Democrats (see 1902070020). A spokesman for Blumenauer said one of the reasons the chairman doesn't want to move the NAFTA replacement is because of the biologics provision. Unlike concerns around Mexican labor law and enforcement, a 10-year biologics exclusivity period cannot be resolved without reopening text, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa -- as well as Mexican diplomats -- say that's a big problem (see 1902120032 and 1902210031).